How to Assemble the Essay Structure

Essays can be tricky to write: they’re more structured than narratives but less intense than a research paper. If you’ve been assigned an essay, the first step is to understand essay structure. Not sure where to start? No problem! We’ve got you covered.

Need more basics before getting into the question of structure? No problem! This guide will help: What is an Essay?

Essay Structure 101

In a nutshell, an essay is an argument. Its point is to pose a question and provide evidence to support the answer. The writer’s goal is to have the reader agree with the argument or idea. The ideas should be presented logically, in order that cohesively builds the argument. Even the illustration essay, which exemplifies an idea or concept, provides a framework for the reader to follow. Most essays require research to validate the writer’s stance.

Before beginning an essay, it’s helpful to answer the following questions:

Raising Questions and Offering Answers

Since an essay’s goal is to argue a particular point successfully, it’s important to state the argument clearly. When brainstorming the essay, ask yourself three fundamental questions regarding the topic: “What?“, “Why?”, and “How?” Use the answers to these questions to help organize the essay itself.

What?

Consider what evidence supports your claim. If the thesis argues that climate change regulations should be mandatory in all countries, ask what evidence proves this to be true? The “what” questions can turn into elements that support body paragraphs.

Why?

“Why” questions are useful in crafting the introduction and conclusion paragraphs in the essay. Why should readers care about this topic? Why is this topic relevant? Answering “why” questions strengthen the relevancy of the essay’s topic.

How?

Then, you need to ask “how do all sides view this topic?” “How do counterarguments affect the validity of the arguments in the paper?” Responding to “how” questions help craft a stronger paper. Answers to how questions may appear in body paragraphs or become a counterargument paragraph themselves.

How to Structure an Essay

The parts of an essay are relatively uniform. The essay structure begins with an introduction, contains several body paragraphs, and ends with a conclusion. Most essays will require cited sources, so should also have a Works Cited or Bibliography page. When deciding on how to write an essay outline, you should know what type of paper you’re writing. Here are some basic essay structure types:

Regardless of the essay type, each essay structure has three different types of paragraphs. Let’s look at how to structure an essay.

Introduction

Basic essay structure begins with an introduction. It should offer valuable background information to the reader. An introduction paragraph may provide historical or sociological context to frame the topic. It can also showcase current trends regarding the topic or current research.

This paragraph should end with the thesis, or the idea the essay is focused on answering. Usually, the thesis statement is the last sentence in the paragraph and works as a transition to the body paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs

In the essay structure, body paragraphs exist as the most important part. These paragraphs offer the evidence to support the thesis’s claim. Each paragraph offers a different idea that supports the argument. Here, all the facts, ideas and background information will appear.

Body paragraphs should begin with a topic sentence, offer cited research, explain the research, and transition to the next idea. Usually, the essay structure of a body paragraph is as follows:

Topic sentence that links to the thesis

Background information

Cited evidence #1

Analysis of evidence

Cited evidence #2

Analysis of evidence

Optional: cited evidence #3

Optional: analysis of evidence

Review of idea and evidence

Transition to next paragraph

In high school, many teachers assign a five paragraph essay. This essay has an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, in college, essay structure can be more fluid; the introduction may consist of two paragraphs and have seven body paragraphs. The number of body paragraphs should depend on the number of ideas to support the thesis.

Conclusion

The conclusion’s purpose is to review points and show the reader how you’ve achieved the argument. No new information should be introduced in this paragraph. Answering “why” questions is appropriate in this section: why is this topic important? Why should readers care about this topic? While the number of introduction and body paragraphs may shift, there is usually only one conclusion paragraph.

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Tips on Structuring the Essay

When you’ve decided on a topic, and done the research, it’s time to tackle the essay structure. Sit down with the research and figure out the best place to insert it. Here are the best practices:

Organize your paragraphs based on sources; work to fit your sources into you argument

Propose an idea without adequate support

Discuss two ideas in a single paragraph: one idea per paragraph

Summarize information—analyze it

Blend types of essays; narrative essays should never be mixed with cause and effect essays

Remember: writing help is out there if you need it. Make an appointment with your professor during his or her office hours. Ask a classmate for clarification. Or just get professional help from an essay writing service. Above all, the writing is a process with a beginning, a middle, and the end.